The Battle – The Land Battle

D-Day February 19, 1945 – Shortly before 2am on Feb. 19, 1945, the Navy’s big guns opened up on Iwo Jima again, signaling the beginning of D-Day. After an hour of punishment, the fire was lifted, leaving Iwo smoking as if the entire island were on fire.

Both Americans aboard their transports and the Japanese in their caves looked to the skies now. One-hundred-ten bombers screamed out of the sky to drop more bombs. After the planes left, the big guns of the Navy opened up again.

At 8:30am, the order, “Land the Landing Force,” sent the first wave of Marines towards the deadly shores. Once ashore, the Marines were bedeviled by the loose volcanic ash. Unable to dig foxholes, they were sitting ducks for the hidden Japanese gunners.

Heavy fire made it impossible to land men in an orderly manner. Confusion reigned on the beaches.

The battle was unique in its setting. One hundred thousand men fighting on a tiny island one-third the size of Manhattan. For 36 days Iwo Jima was one of the most populated 7.5 miles on earth.

Mt. Suribachi, the 550-foot volcanic cone at the islands southern tip, dominates both possible landing beaches. From here, Japanese gunners zeroed in on every inch of the landing beach. Blockhouses and pillboxes flanked the landing areas. Within, more heavy weapons stood ready to blast the attacking Marines. Machine guns criss-crossed the beaches with deadly interlocking fire. Rockets, anti-boat and anti-tank guns were also trained on the beaches.Every Marine, everywhere on the island was always in range of Japanese guns.

The Japanese were ready.

The invading US Marines fought above ground. The defending Japanese fought from below ground. The US Marines on Iwo rarely saw a Japanese soldier.

There were no front lines. The Marines were above ground and the Japanese were below them underground. The Marines rarely saw an alive Japanese soldier. The Japanese could see the Marines perfectly.

“Easy Company started with 310 men. We suffered 75% casualties. Only 50 men boarded the ship after the battle. Seven officers went into the battle with me. Only one–me–walked off Iwo.” . . . Captain Dave Severance, Easy Company Commander (the Flag Raising Company)

The battle was won by the inch-by-inch tenacity of the foot soldier. It was a physical war.

Liquid gas, napalm and hand grenades were more useful against the underground Japanese.

Historians described U.S. forces’ attack against the Japanese defense as “throwing human flesh against reinforced concrete.”

261 thoughts on “The Battle – The Land Battle”

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My father, Leon C. Antoine, aka “Reds”, was with the 506 AAA Gun Battalion on Iwo Jima. He was from Hockessin, Delaware.
I would love to know if anyone might remember him and could tell me about him.
He would not discuss the war with us.
My Dad passed away in 2011, due to pneumonia from Alzheimer’s.

My Father PFC George B Raffield 4th paltoon 31st replacement draft landed on Iwo Jima in the 4th wave on red one. Was there for all 36 days of the battle. Spent 9 days on green beach unloading vessels. Went in as a replacement (B – 1 – 26) as a lead machine gunner. Before he passed in 2000 I ask him to tell his story. He gave me over 3 hours on audio. I gave a copy to the museum of the pacific war in Fredericsburg Tx. If you are interested in hearing his story it is online under oral history George Raffield. They also have it in written text.

My Uncle Lewis Simich was with the 31st Replacement Draft on Iwo Jima. Voluntary transferred to the 5th DIV from Norfolk Naval Base in 44. After the Iwo campaign was transferred to the 28th Marines for occupation duty in Japan. I am looking for documents, pictures or Marines that may have been with the 31st RD or someone that may have knew my uncle. Born in Malvern Oh, and last lived in East Canton Oh, before leaving for the Marine Corps in summer of 43.

My Father was a Marine and was at Iwo Jima. His name was James E. Ping. He has passed now in 1992. Because myself and sister were girls he never talked with us about his time in service. But I always wondered about what they went through. Would like to know if any one knew him.

There’s a guy at my elks lodge they call him dog he was one of the seebies still walking strong with his cane god bless our heroes my dad was in Vietnam navy 66-71 my uncle marine Vietnam 67-71 my sister Afghanistan airforce 2002-2005 I can’t hold a candle to them I joined the coast guard

My uncle Pvt. Armando H Felix was with F Company 2/26, 5th MarDiv. He was WIA in the vicinity of Hill 362. He died of wounds aboard the USS Bountiful. I grow up with all the USMC memorabilia which convinced me to join. Sad that we are losing so many of the Iwo Jima veterans and the history with them.